The Federal Government yesterday formally filed a 15 count criminal charge against Justice Adeniyi Francis Adetokunbo Ademola of the federal High Court and his wife, Mrs. Olabowale Toluwatope Ademola. Justice Ademola is a grandson to the first Nigerian indigenous Chief Justice of the Federation Sir Adetokunbo Adegboyega Ademola.

The criminal charge was yesterday filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and signed by Hajara Yusuf, a principal State Counsel, on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Alhaji Abubakar Malami SAN.

The duo are alleged to have committed the offences between February 2014 and June 2016 contrary to Section 8 of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act, 2011 and Section 115 of the Penal Code Law.

The defendants allegedly received N30million from Messrs Joe Odey Agi Associates between 11th and 26th March 2015 and another N40 million between 20th and 21st February 2014. His wife also received N30million from Messrs Joe Agi Associates.

According to the prosecution, Justice Ademola on 6th May 2013 received $520 thousand from Messrs Johnson & Johnson Solicitors and another N6 million between 25th of February and 16th April 2015 from Messrs Johnson & Johnson Solicitors.

He was alleged to have accepted N55.6 million from Messrs G.T. J Ademola & Co between 5th January and 23rd June 2016. It was further alleged that Justice Adeniyi Ademola on 20th February 2014 accepted N40million from Vertice Solutions Ltd as well as accepting another N47.6 million from Acardian Energy Services Ltd.

The prosecution further alleged that the judge on 20 February 2014 accepted N34million from Omotayo Babafemi Aliyu and N4.7m from Lawan Sulaiman between 21st February and 7th November 2014. Justice Adeniyi Ademola was also alleged to have accepted N30m from Messrs Joe Odey Agi Associates between 20th and 21st February 2014. Justice Ademola was one of the serving judges recently arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS). No date has been fixed for trial as the case is yet to be assigned to a Judge.